Harsonia (People)
The people of central Zimildran, the nation of Harsonia is often seen as the epicenter of trade and ingenuity in all of the four nations. As an entirely landlocked nation, they lack the naval prowess of their neighbors, yet they make up for it with their world renowned steam-powered devices and golems, their disciplined and proud military, and their council-based government. Harsonia’s capital is the grand city of the same name, planted almost in the direct center of the nation. Geographically speaking, the nation of Harsonia is a land of rich soil and rolling hills, with small patches of forest along the well-used roads. As you head northwest from the central farmlands, you’d find yourself in the flat, forested regions around the cities of Riverton and Watermeet along the Stonybank River. To venture southwest from the capital would lead into broken fields, with many cliffs of various sizes, eventually leading into the deep canyons of the Breakcliffs and into Canyon City. South of the capital would bring you down the southern reaches of the Trade Road, eventually finding the way to be mountainous and full of thick jungle vegetation. Eastward leads into the festering Spinebog, a small marsh on the borders of the infamous Dreadwood. And north from the city of Harsonia would follow the northern treks of the Trade Road, through the low Nirgehd Mountains and further still into the tundra of the Snow Marches. People from Harsonia embrace a wide array of vocations, often dependent upon the city where they live. The people of small, rural townships like Arcomb, Borakess and the Sather Fields are farmers, tanners, blacksmiths and craftsmen, folk who provide a simple service to the community in which they live, and trade with travelers and traders from larger towns. The people of Riverton and Watermeet follow different lives entirely, as many are shipwrights, engineers, fishermen, or others who have found a living on the waters of the Stonybank. Riverton especially is known for its great workshops from which a multitude of steam-powered constructs and devices are constructed. The people of Canyon City to the south and west are miners and metal-smiths, mostly, though the City of Stone also sees its fair share of physicians, merchants, and steam-workers. And finally, the capital city of Harsonia is the hub of all trade in most of Zimildran, with folk finding work as any number of service workers, from smiths to craftsmen, as well as diplomats, merchants, cargo haulers, bodyguards, personal servants, criers, and any number of other jobs. If one is looking for opportunity, they could do no better than traveling to the capital city of Harsonia. The capital city is also the home of Harsonia's governing body, the council of seven knight-commanders of the Knights of the Covenant. Many Harsonians are taught from a young age to follow in the professions and vocations of their parents, especially in the smaller communities. In the larger cities, there is more opportunity to enter into an apprenticeship with a professional outside of the family, learning the ways of another vocation as the youth grows into adulthood. And beyond this, in the largest cities, there are three major organizations that provide full, satisfying mentoring for hopeful youths in exchange for a lifetime of service or a slight cut of profits.